Baptist Polity and the Local Association

This morning I read a blog post (HERE) from a Pastor about the some of the purposes of the Baptist Association.  I greatly appreciated the post because I believe that many of us have forgotten where we came from, so to speak, as it related to the reason why we Baptists do some of the things that we do.  I have been debating publishing this post for the last week or so.  It has the potential to be controversial and some may take it out of context, but after prayerful consideration I humbly submit my thoughts on this subject.

If we wholeheartedly believe that our Lord commissioned us individually and corporately to take the Gospel to every person; if we believe that the Church is the body and bride of Christ and that the local congregation is the manner in which God has chosen to carry out His business of spreading the Gospel to the world, our focus should be on accomplishing this task though the local church.

Undoubtedly, more can be done to advance the work together than we can do on our own.  Not to mention that cooperation strengthens our witness with the world around us.  Understanding that “a three-fold cord is not easily broken” we should strive to work together, to cooperate with each other to accomplish the Great Commission, motivated by the greatest commandment.

One characteristic that our Baptist churches have that is somewhat unique to our denomination is that a Baptist church is autonomous.  Cooperation is voluntary and each local congregation is free to define its own faith and practice.  If a local church makes a decision to stop cooperation, they are entitled to do so.  But we must remember that “no man is an island” and by extension no church that is made up of said men is an island.  We are all part of one Body and serve one Lord.

I would encourage each one of us to prayerfully examine ourselves; to ask God to search our hearts and reveal to us if we have been cooperating with the other members of the Body as He would desire us to, or if we have been placing our own desires and agendas above His.

I look forward to serving Jesus along side of you all and may grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.